www.study-aids.co.uk offers sample Business Management, Marketing, Economics and Information Technology dissertations, essays and assignments at BSc and MSc level, in PDF format and at a fixed price of £55 per copy. "Download Dissertations"

Friday, 16 July 2010

A key concern for retailers today is reducing inventory and inventory driven costs across their supply and distribution networks. Pressure to cut inventories continues to build for several reasons. Manufacturers no longer manage linear or stable supply chains. In the last few years a new paradigm has emerged: where one finds operations teams and planning teams of the manufacturer applying the latest techniques and technologies to improve inventory visibility, control and management across the extended supply network. We call this collection of efforts as Inventory optimization. Inventory optimization helps retailers control inventory driven costs and address today’s demand volatility and the uncertainty of demand. We discuss several trends in inventory optimization including opportunities to apply this new technology to solve more than just high inventory costs. Inventory optimization can enable smarter product launches, lower direct material cost of goods and faster manufacturing and distribution execution. The objective of this dissertation report is to find out the inventory optimization techniques used by the telecom retailers. The objective is to find out the inventory optimization technique used by retailers for AIRCEL and AIRTEL and then to do a comparative analysis of both the inventory optimization technique, to find out the best inventory optimization technique The aim of this research is to study about the inventory optimization techniques that are available to optimize the inventory. This will definitely give me knowledge about the insights of inventory optimization and about the model that may be used in inventory optimization. The objective of the dissertation is: (1) To find out the inventory optimization technique, used by telecom retailers for AIRTEL and AIRCEL SIM cards. (2) To do a comparative analysis of the two techniques to find out the best technique of inventory optimization for telecom retailers.

This is a tale about energy and power. At the heart of this narrative is the historic re-emergence of China which has undergone revolutionary changes since the Maoist era of Communist austerity and energy self-sufficiency. President Nixon’s ‘opening up’ of Communist China in the seventies started a process of engagement with the capitalist world for China’s oligarchs. The resulting transformation into a super-charged globalised economic powerhouse has transformed the lives of millions of people. Hundreds of millions of Chinese are pursuing a Chinese Dream; of cars, modern flats, TVs, designer clothes, refrigerators, electricity, and a western-style diet. Along with materially aspirational Indians and Arabs, the Chinese middle classes have led an explosion of energy demand. Global supply of oil and gas production has risen to new heights to sustain the growth of energy consumption in the developing world by the private oil majors and the state-owned oil companies. Economists have argued that rising demand will lead to technological improvements and development of suitable substitutes which will ensure that supply will always keep up with demand. However, a closer reading of the statistics suggests some worrying trends in the global petroleum industry. Robert L. Hirsch, a leading energy expert was paid by the US government to investigate the potential implications of a global peak in world oil production. The Hirsch Report came to some startling conclusions regarding future supplies of petroleum. Contrary to the claims of economists and based on the history of domestic US oil production ‘higher prices and improved technology are unlikely to yield dramatically higher conventional oil production’.2 Moreover, conventional, ‘cheap’ petroleum fields are startling to deplete, and will accelerate in the coming decades. New fields coming on-stream tend to be in geographically and geopolitically ‘hard’ locations, for example the Arctic or Siberia. Not only it is capital and energy intensive to develop these fields and the needed infrastructure (pipelines etc), the energy ‘return’ from these fields is a fraction of the older larger fields in the Middle East. Energy experts call this the EROEI, Energy Return on Energy Invested. The depletion rates on the newer unconventional oil and gas fields are far higher than the old, larger fields meaning that it is only economically for the major oil majors to finance these developments if petroleum prices are very high. Forecasting future projections of oil and gas supply is a problematic science, but a consensus has emerged that at some point in the next five years, the global production of oil and gas will start to contract and this will accelerate in the coming decades. The era of cheap energy is over.

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Literature Review

Chapter 3. The emergence of the DragonRussiaCentral AsiaGreater Middle EastAfricaLatin AmericaGrand Strategy in international relations

This final year research project has been derived from the initial research phase of the project whereby the problem of privacy was examined in the context of globalisation, that current approaches to privacy are culturally biased, reflecting only one of a number of possible standpoints. Substantial research conducted on internet privacy resulted in countless cultural standpoint theories but few studies focused on the consumer’s expectations which are the key to gaining a successful competitive advantage in the global business market. In recent years there has been some interesting debate about privacy; particularly interest in storage of personal data; that has several social, cultural and economic implications attached along with apprehension towards the information society. Current philosophy focuses the problem of privacy mainly on Western society’s expectations that is shown to be limiting growth and development of e-commerce businesses. Results based on surveys are used to demonstrate this point, comparing the privacy perceptions in the Asian culture to the Western culture. This paper pursues the following research question: does the Internet’s current system for protecting individual privacy cater for differences between cultural perspectives?

Summary of IP ResearchThe Critical EvalautionIntroductionAims and ObjectivesWhy is there a need for further research?Evaluation of the effectiveness of the processes followedResponse RateMethodologySurvey ResultsLiterature SearchSummaryAssessment of whether the research has met the requirementsAlternative approachesRecommendations for any Further Development of the Work

This project describes how music retailers have been affected by the upsurge of illegal music download. In the presence of illegal music downloads, which are accessible when using the Internet, users are in fact downloading as many music files as possible for their personal use and furthermore for the event of trading, these files are copied into disc and are being sold illegally as pirated copies. Record companies need to unite with their buyers (i.e.) music retailers and use the authority of law in order to prevent such illegal activity to continue and use alternative ways to expedite the process to legality. Throughout the course of this research the above menace will be examined, as questionnaires and interviews are used with the eventual verdict presented in the conclusion. Not only is today’s life vast and improving for illegal traders, but also there exists the possibility and hope that one day this will stop, which will then allow the much needed relief to the legal traders to carry out their business.

Chapter One: IntroductionIntroductionStatement of problemProject detailHow the topic has been chosenProject AimObjectives

Chapter Two: Literature ReviewIntroductionLaw and CopyrightWho is BPI?About the illegal industryThe start and stop of illegal downloadThe affect on music retailer’sThe users behind illegal downloadActions taken against illegal sitesThe type of retailers that sells online musicCost of Online musicThe success for record companies and retailersThe loss on UK music industryThe benefit of the online marketAnsoff’ MatrixThe Micro EnvironmentThe PEST AnalysisPorter 5 ForcesConclusion

Chapter 3: MethodologyIntroductionMethods which are usedQuantitative and Qualitative methodsPrimary sourcesSecondary sourcesThe RefinementsThe Refinement of the AimThe Refinement of the ObjectivesRefined Research QuestionsProposed MethodologyHow retailers have been affected in terms of financial matters?How retailers can make profit in the presences of illegal music?How music retailers/record companies reduce illegal music?Selection of sampleData analysis

In this research we analyzed thе consumer perception and expectation in the retail property market in London. The methodology allows us identify thеmain independent concepts оr attributes which describe thеcustomer perception of a specific property expressed in his own wоrds. Thеse attributes are accоrding to the influence of the consumer on thеoverall opinion in оrder to quantify thеir relative impоrtance. A quantitative model fоr forecasting an overall aѕsessment from symbolic attributes could be obtained. Thеresearch also provides a quantitative way of predicting thеsuccess of a specific property on sale by evaluating thеmain factоrs that condition it. Mоreover, an elaborated comparative analysis of thеstrengths and weaknesses of different competing properties could also be made.

Nowadays, there is intense competition in the world economy. In this competition, the service sector becomes more and more important when considering the standardisation and globalisation of the products. This may be the reason that many studies investigate the service sector. Most of these studies aim to evaluate the quality of service through comparing customers’ expectations and perceptions. This is because there is a relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and service loyalty. In fact, the satisfaction and loyalty of customers are factors enabling service providers achieve successes. From this point of view, the expectations and perceptions of customers to the service quality are determined as the core of a marketing channel. To evaluate this core, a measurement of expectations and perceptions of customers needs to be implemented. However, according to different core characteristics of services, each service sector can apply different methods to measure quality in order to have the best solution to convey to consumer, attracting more customers and encouraging loyalty.

Chapter 1: IntroductionBackground of the research Research aims and objectives Rationale for the research Outline of the research

Efficient Markets Hypothesis has been recently more often challenged on base of the empirical evidence which was suggested not be consistent with the theory such as excess volatility, market seasonalities, autocorrelation and predictability of equity returns. There is still ongoing discussion on relevancy and interpretation of these phenomenons and its consequences in investment strategy. This work link empirical data gathered from equity markets to equity markets theory and investment strategy framework. Importance of the work lies in providing guidance to investors on capital allocation on equity markets. Utility of three investment strategies was evaluated in this work which were buy&hold (index), contrarian and momentum. Research is focused on research of mutual funds and custom portfolios in regard to their returns and investment strategy. In mutual funds research the funds were categorized on base of their investment strategy and performance parameters were evaluated to generalize which strategies provided the best results. In research of stock returns three portfolios were constructed and returns analyzed in search for mean reversion and autocorrelation patterrns. Using automation of some calculations provided by VBA programming language enabled processing of large data sets for more than 70 stock with daily trading data mostly back to 1990. Research output suggests superiority of buy&hold strategy which is linked to Effcient Market Hypothesis. Buy&hold was shown to produce best risk-adjusted returns. This apply to both mutual funds and stock portfolios returns. Some less common patterns were observed in stock portfolios and possible explanation suggested within Efficient Markets Hypothesis framework.

Different techniques and skills are used to achieve an organisation’s goals and objectives. One of the techniques used by organisations is team working. This research paper presents an empirically based case study on an organisation’s team working techniques and also investigates the effectiveness of team working in the men’s apparel department. The organisation that has been examined for the purpose of this research is Company Z, a chain of departmental stores situated in Mumbai. Questionnaires were developed and sent to both, the staff and managers to analyse the team working effectiveness and techniques adapted to form and develop teams respectively. Structured interviews were also conducted among five (5) managers to understand the organisation’s rational for team working and techniques adapted to form and develop teams. Finally conclusions and recommendations have been presented in the end and areas for further research have also been suggested.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTIONBackgroundWhat is team working?Organisation chosen for the researchResearch objectivesSignificance of the study

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGSFindingsResearch populationAdministered questionnairesFeedback on staff questionnairesFeedback on manager’s questionnairesStructured interviewsResponse to find out why the introduction of team working Response to know if team working improves performanceResponse to determine the underlying principle/rational for team working and the techniques adapted to form and develop teams

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONSConclusionLimitations of the studyRecommendationsFeasibility, suitability and acceptability of this research

CRM is an integrated effort to recognize, maintain, and build up a network with individual consumers and to constantly strengthen the network for mutual benefit of both sides, through interactive, individualized and value-added contacts over a period of time. The core theme of all CRM is its focus on co-operative and collaborative relationships between the firm and its customers, and/or other marketing actors. CRM is based on the premise that, by having a better understanding of the customers’ needs and desires we can keep them longer and sell more to them. An important facet of CRM is “customer selectivity”. Several research studies have shown not all customers are equally profitable. The company must therefore be selective and tailor its program and marketing efforts by segmenting and selecting appropriate customers for individual marketing programs. In some cases, it could even lead to “outsourcing of some customers” so that a company better utilize its resources on those customers it can serve better and create mutual value. However, the objective of a company is not to really prune its customer base but to identify appropriate customer programs and methods that would be profitable and create value for the firm and the customer.

Executive Summary

The CustomersWho are the customers?Knowing the customersFive New Approaches to Customer Value

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)What is CRM?How it works?CRM’s EvolutionKey Principles of CRM Reduce operational costEnhance the serviceSell more services in the same packageEmpower the customer

BenefitsBenefits for OrganizationBenefits of CRM to Customers

CRM StatusIntroductionA Peep into the Past The PresentThe FutureFuture Advantages of CRM

Myths About CRMMyths of CRM- The 4 Deadly SinsMyth-1: CRM is just about technologyMyth-2: CRM is just about improving salesMyth-3: You can just buy a CRM package and bolt it onto your existing systemsMyth-4: A midsize company's best bet is to use the same CRM package its larger competitors do

CRM at ICICI BankCRM RoadmapNeed for CRMHow CRM changed the processes in ICICI?How organizations optimize cost in CRM?LoopholesE-CRMCRM at HDFC BankCRM Roadmap:How CRM changed the processes in HDFC?Benefits of CRMLoopholesCRM ConclusionCRM at CORPORATION BankBenefits of CRMCRM RoadmapCRM at CITI BankBenefits of CRMCRM Roadmap:Loopholes

Traveling by air had always been like an inspirational factor for the common Indians. Air – travel even a year back used to be like a distant dream to many of the India’s 200 million middle class community. The industry was always looked down once upon a time with only state-owned players enjoying a monopoly. In the last couple of year, the Indian Aviation sector has metamorphosed in a big way. A cluster of new airlines rolling out the warm hospitality of red carpets to the Indians, for who air travel was simply an Aspiration and a distant dream. These airlines are called the No-frills or low cost Airlines, the new buzz in the Indian Aviation sector. As the name suggest, the no-frill airlines are the de-glamorized version of the conventional or full service Airlines. In today’s scenario, venture capital of $10 million or less is enough to launch an airline. Private airlines are known to hire foreign pilots, get expatriates or retired personnel from the Air Force or PSU (Indian Airlines, Air India) airlines, in senior management positions to run the show. Further, they outsource such functions as ground handling, check-in, reservation, aircraft maintenance, catering, training, revenue accounting, IT infrastructure, loyalty and program management. The main hypothesis that the thesis revolves around is whether Indians are ready for frequent air travel thereby substituting railways after the introduction of No-frill airlines in India.

1. Introduction

2. Critical Review of LiteratureOverview of the present Scenario of the Airline Industry in IndiaKey Players in the Civil Aviation SectorNo-Frills Low Cost Airlines in IndiaBusiness model of no-frills low cost airlines vis-à-vis full service airlines in India

The last two decades have been characterised by trends such as globalisation, technological breakthroughs and consequently an increasing competition for organisations of all shapes and sizes. Especially organisations that operate in a constantly changing environment have to work hard in order to keep up with their competitors. At the same time they have to face retiring baby-boomers and enormous geographic changes which basically create a war for talent. Selecting and recruiting talented C-level staff is crucial to an organisation‟s future and must be therefore deliberate and well arranged, whereas often time and money determine the decision. Executive search firms (ESF) could offer help and act as an external consultancy to find people who fit with the needs of the organisation. These third-party advisors, who are also known as head-hunters, could bring in the right balance of objectivity, comprehensive knowledge about a particular industry and help organisations to focus more on their core business. Apart from the fees ESFs charge, they could play an important role in terms of an organisation’s future and its business performance. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of retained ESFs who exclusively asked for advice when it comes to the recruitment of senior-level or rather C-level positions. The research shows that ESFs could indeed contribute positively to an organisation‟s business performance, provided that not only the external advisor is well chosen and assessed, but also that the organisation knows its own culture and needs.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONPurposeMegatrends And Their Impact On OrganisationsResearch ObjectivesStructure

The consumer decision-making process illustrates the certain stages consumers experience before making a final purchase decision. In general, this decision-making process is acknowledge to be an extraordinarily complex model which is affected by numerous factors, such as personal, situational and socio-cultural influences. However, the decision-making process also varies according to the type of product (hedonic or utilitarian) and to the degree of involvement. This project provides an insight into the different stages of the consumer decision-making process and identifies possible factors which might influence this process. Moreover, the increasing significance of the Internet has considerably affected the consumers‟ decision-making process, in particular their pre-purchase behaviour. This can be mainly attributed to the wide variety of product information online available as well as to interactive decision aids, which allow consumers to compare different products in-depth. However, despite all the means provided by the Internet, there are still concerns associated with its use for information search or online purchase which might affect consumers‟ attitudes towards the use of the Internet in a negative way. When deciding which information sources to consult, factors such as trust and believability play an important role in the consumers‟ decision-making process.However, the study also demonstrates that event tough consumers regard certain information as credible, they prefer to consult a variety of information sources in order to minimise the risk associated with the purchase. Nevertheless, it has to be taken into consideration that the stages of the decision-making process vary according on the consumer‟s level of involvement, as consumers devote more effort to their information search and the different evaluation stages if the purchase is considered to be of high risk.

IntroductionOverview of the projectAims and ObjectivesChapter Outlines

Literature ReviewIntroductionSmall and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)DefinitionSMEs in the European Union (EU)The Importance of SMEs for the European EconomySME Barriers to Start-UpSME BarriersThe Effect of Barriers on EntrepreneurshipRegulatory BurdensDefining RegulationBetter Regulations in the EUReducing Administrative BurdensDeveloping Future EU LegislationConcluding Comments

Research MethodologyIntroductionResearch PhilosophiesSecondary DataAdvantages and Limitations of Secondary DataChoice of Secondary DataPrimary Research Considerations and choicesInterview AdvantagesInterview LimitationsConduct of Research and LimitationsEthics

Analysis and FindingsIntroductionInterviews - BackgroundMain FindingsSummaryStrategic Review of the Modern European SME Policy – BackgroundMain FindingsSummary

ConclusionIntroductionMain FindingsLimitations of ResearchRecommendations for Further Research

The consumer decision-making process illustrates the certain stages consumers experience before making a final purchase decision. In general, this decision-making process is acknowledge to be an extraordinarily complex model which is affected by numerous factors, such as personal, situational and socio-cultural influences. However, the decision-making process also varies according to the type of product (hedonic or utilitarian) and to the degree of involvement. This project provides an insight into the different stages of the consumer decision-making process and identifies possible factors which might influence this process. Moreover, the increasing significance of the Internet has considerably affected the consumers‟ decision-making process, in particular their pre-purchase behaviour. This can be mainly attributed to the wide variety of product information online available as well as to interactive decision aids, which allow consumers to compare different products in-depth. However, despite all the means provided by the Internet, there are still concerns associated with its use for information search or online purchase which might affect consumers‟ attitudes towards the use of the Internet in a negative way. When deciding which information sources to consult, factors such as trust and believability play an important role in the consumers‟ decision-making process.However, the study also demonstrates that event tough consumers regard certain information as credible, they prefer to consult a variety of information sources in order to minimise the risk associated with the purchase. Nevertheless, it has to be taken into consideration that the stages of the decision-making process vary according on the consumer‟s level of involvement, as consumers devote more effort to their information search and the different evaluation stages if the purchase is considered to be of high risk.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONIntroducing the topicAims and ObjectivesSummary of chapters

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEWIntroduction: Understanding the consumer decision-making processThe consumer decision-making processProblem recognition and information searchEvaluation of alternatives and purchasePost-purchase evaluationThe degree of involvementThe influence of hedonic and utilitarian goods on consumer's decision-making processOther influences on the customer decision-making processThe influence of the Internet on the consumer decision-making processReasons for online shoppingThe impact of interactive decision making aids on the consumer decision-making processAdvantages of online shoppingConstraints of online shoppingConclusion

International trading and business are becoming a more and more important part of nowadays globalising world. It seems to become easier to do international business thanks to technology but the main problem persists: misunderstanding due to cultural differences. This dissertation discusses the effects of culture on negotiations in an international business context and identifies which areas of negotiations are influenced by culture and to what extent. The study reveals that this topic is multi-layered and that culture affects negotiation in many ways, covering all areas involved in negotiations. It suggests that cultural influences persist during the entire negotiation, from preparation to after-sales contact. It also highlights that knowledge about this is mostly gained through experience and observation. Furthermore, this study discusses more detailed the influence of culture during the interaction of parties by using a framework. This discussion leads to the suggestion that at this stage, cultural influence is very strong as in influences not only the inter-personal behaviour of the parties but also the more business related factors. This study concludes that culture influences international negotiations and that it plays a major role. It influences the entire process of negotiation and is subject of misunderstandings as it is difficult to learn how to deal with it.

1 IntroductionReason for choice of topicAcademic objectives of dissertationOutline of chapters

2 Literature reviewDefinitionsWho is supposed to adapt?Choice of the international negotiatorThe actual negotiationNon-task interactionStatus distinctionImpression formation accuracyInterpersonal attractionTask-related interactionExchange of informationPersuasion and bargaining strategyConcession making and agreementComments on the interactive part of negotiation process frameworkNon-task related interaction: respect of business protocolTask-related interaction: persuasion and bargaining strategies

3 MethodologyScope of concernSecondary researchAdvantages of secondary dataLimitations and disadvantages of secondary dataPrimary researchWhy using non-standardised or semi structured interviews?Design and implementationChoosing the intervieweesWriting the interview guidelineFirst contact and implementation of the interviewsDisadvantages of administering interviews by phoneSources of biasEthics of research

4 FindingsWhat makes a good negotiator?To what extent are language skills important?How do you prepare the negotiation?To what extent do you decide the strategy you are going to use with regard to the culture of your counterpart?Assuming the relationship is long-term, how do you cultivate the relationship?Problems encountered during international negotiationsDoes culture influence negotiations?

5 AnalysisThe golden rule: the buyer adapts to the sellerThe international negotiator: skills and selection criteriaDiscussion of the framework “the interactive part of the cross-cultural sales negotiation process”Status distinctionInterpersonal attractionCriticism: respect of the business protocolCriticism: persuasion and bargaining strategies

6 ConclusionReview of objectivesResearch conclusionsLimitations of the studyFurther research possibilities

Since 1992’s economic reform, China’s retail sales has kept rising and a large number of western supermarkets have been built up in this country. However, after more than ten years’ expanding and developing, western supermarkets fail to win the major share in China’s retailing market. A substantial proportion of total revenues are still accounted by traditional wet markets. This fact may be unbelievable to most people. This paper attempts to provide a understanding of Chinese consumers, find out the reasons why they prefer wet markets rather than western supermarkets. Literature review provides the concept of consumer behavior as well as the models on consumers’ decision making. The primary research focuses on the population in south-eastern China and attempts to find out how the internal and external factors would influence their decisions. The findings suggest two main reasons why Chinese consumers favor wet markets over supermarket: western supermarkets can not fit Chinese consumers’ needs well because of cultural differences; customers are difficult to access to these large supermarkets duo to the limitations of distribution. The limitations of research caused by the sample and research area should be in consideration for further study.

Since the 1990s economic reform, China’s retail sales has kept increasing exponentially and a large number of western supermarkets have been built up in this country. However, after more than ten years‟ expanding and developing, western supermarkets fail to win the major share in China’s retailing market. A substantial proportion of total revenues are still accounted by traditional wet markets. This fact may be unbelievable to most people. This paper attempts to provide an understanding of Chinese consumers, find out the reasons why they prefer wet markets rather than western supermarkets. Literature review provides the concept of consumer behaviour as well as the models on consumers’ decision making. The primary research focuses on the population in south-eastern China and attempts to find out how the internal and external factors would influence their decisions. The findings suggest two main reasons why Chinese consumers favour wet markets over supermarket: western supermarkets can not fit Chinese consumers’ needs well because of cultural differences; customers are difficult to access to these large supermarkets duo to the limitations of distribution. The limitations of research caused by the sample and research area should be in consideration for further study.

This text deals with Slovenia's culture in general and in terms of business affairs. Literature of contemporary culture theorists is critically discussed. Focus is set on Geert Hofstede´s cultural dimensions and Edward T. Hall‟s theory of high –and low-context cultures. Slovenia has been evaluated or respectively, re-evaluated according to these theories and consequently an original theory of Slovenia‟s culture has been designed. For this purpose, a small and thus not representative sample of the Slovenian population has been interviewed and these findings have been analysed on the basis of Hall's and Hofstede's work. The outcome of this work differs from Hofstede´s results and provides an end result of Slovenia being mainly low-context.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONTopic and PurposeContextBoundaries – Focus of the StudyAims and ObjectivesConstraintsOutline of the Chapters

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEWIntroductionGeert Hofstede´s WorkFurther Notes to Hofstede´s DimensionsCritics on Hofstede´s WorkJustification for Using Hofstede´s Work in this StudyEdward T. Hall’s WorkCritics on Hall‟s WorkJustification for Using Hall‟s Work in this Study

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGYEthicsInformed Consent and Explanations of the InterviewWriting up the FindingsLanguage and TranslationIntellectual Property RightsSelection, Explanation and Justification of the Research MethodsPrimary ResearchQualitative MethodInterpretivist Philosophy of the ResearchDeductive Approach to the ResearchSnowball Sampling MethodMethod: Semi-Structured, In-Depth InterviewProcedure of the InterviewsInitial Interview and its FailureDesign of the Actual InterviewThe Actual InterviewLimitations and Advantages of the used MethodologyRepresentativenessTelephone InterviewField-NotesTranslation and Amateur ResearchBias

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONConclusion from the Data AnalysedHofstede´s DimensionsHall‟s Cultural Factor‟sApplication of Relevant Theory to the Data GatheredConclusion from Data Related to Prior Research of Others

The commitment for Corporate Social Responsibility is voluntary and exceeds obligations imposed by law or expectations of society with the aim to improve the welfare of the community. Its importance is reflected in the fact that highly recognised institutions like the EU or UN have addressed this issue. Corporate Philanthropy, an element of Corporate Social Responsibility, represents in this context the opportunity for companies to return something to the community or society in which they are operating by giving direct donations or conducting a range of other philanthropic initiatives. Thus they behave like corporate citizens and can improve the company’s image. If applied in a strategic way, Corporate Philanthropy can even become a powerful instrument in order to satisfy the company’s stakeholders or create competitive advantage. This study aims to provide an insight into the application of Corporate Philanthropy in the PV solar electricity sector. Therefore, the primary research concentrates on companies in this sector. The aim hereby is to elaborate firstly if these companies get involved with philanthropic initiatives in general and secondly if they apply Corporate Philanthropy in a strategic way. In this context an illustration of the companies’ philanthropic initiatives as well as motivation for their philanthropic commitment will be outlined. The research shows that Corporate Philanthropy is applied by the majority of the companies in the PV solar electricity sector and hence they use this opportunity to return something to the community or society. However, there remains ambiguity concerning the clear strategic approach used when implementing the philanthropic initiatives. Further research is recommended in order to gain a deeper understanding of the implementation of Corporate Philanthropy in the PV solar electricity sector.

The increase in competition of stock exchanges, due mainly to the transformation of the securities markets, has led to mergers, technological agreements among existing exchanges, price wars, takeovers, and the creation of new exchanges, even within thesame country. Recently, exchanges have also faced competition from quasi-exchanges, which are also known as ECNs. They not only free-ride on the process of listing given that they generally trade only securities listed on other exchanges, but also on the price-discovery process facilitating members of exchanges to direct trade to them. ECNs are increasingly cannibalizing the businesses of the existing stock exchanges. The evolution of new financial instruments, the falling monopoly of banks as a source of direct funding to borrowers and of direct investment for investors, the tremendous improvement in information technology, and a greater financial culture among common people as well as the fluctuations in interest, price, and exchange rate due to the oil crises have caused the increasing importance of securities markets in the financial system. As the capital markets become increasingly globalized, investors have more choices and are demanding better trading facilities, market efficiency and quality from stock exchanges. To meet challenges, exchanges have to accelerate the construction of the market information infrastructure, rivalry among Europe’s stock exchanges emphasizes more on cooperation of trading technology than anything else. In Asia, the concept of forming a full financial service group within each market is the main consideration. Exchanges have recognized that faced with the challenge to respond commercially to competitors, they needed to become traded companies themselves. The underlying assumption is that, in the long run, only the most efficient exchanges should survive, trading stocks from other European countries and offering the most innovative and competitive financial instruments.

1. Introduction

2. Review of LiteratureWhat is an ExchangeGlobalisation of Financial MarketsNature of Competition of Stock ExchangesThe Effects of Increasing Competition among Stock ExchangesRevolutionary changes of Technology in the Securities MarketIntegration of Stock ExchangesTheoretical Influences

3. MethodologyAim of the ProjectObjectives of the ProjectWhy I am Interested in this TopicBackgroundThe General ApproachData CollectionCriticisms of the SourcesValidityReliability

When first deciding on what topic to research it was logical to choose a topic that had relevance and an interest to the author. In today‟s society it is almost the norm for everyone to have a bank account and so it is a vital sector in the UK Economy. However, one thriving aspect of the banking sector is the student market. This market is continually growing and banks are competing to gain customers whilst they are young. Almost every student has had some contact with banks and their attempts to gain customer loyalty. However, in the academic world there is a lack of research on the decision-making process that students go through when deciding on their bank account. This study is an attempt to build on the current research available and make relevant comparisons. There are several objectives attached to this study. The first task is to review and analyse the current literature on the student market and their decision-making process with regards financial institutions. Once this has been achieved hypotheses will be made and a methodology drawn up in order to conduct further research. Primary research will conducted in the form of questionnaires to analyse the decision-making process of undergraduates and graduates. From this research the findings will be discussed and conclusions will be made.

The aim of this study is to develop and support previous theory as well as answer the question Are Entrepreneurs Born or Are They Made? In progressing this, the author researched into a variety of different sources including both primary and secondary data. The secondary information led the author to comprise a number of different hypotheses where the primary research was then focused. The research concluded that entrepreneurs are mainly born rather than made, stating that entrepreneurial characteristics are more visible in the entrepreneur‟s personality in comparison to others. The findings portray this general understanding but also states for these results to be completely reliable then further research may be needed.

The author seeks to identify trends in compliance with the revised Combined Code of Corporate Governance in 2003 with emphasis on provisions regarding NEDs through the study of annual reports published for the 3 consecutive years after the implementation of the revised Combined Code of Corporate Governance. The compliance with revisions made to the Code in 2006 regarding the composition of the remuneration committee will also be accounted for. The results gathered will be discussed against theoretical frameworks to indicate whether companies are pursuing an agency theorist‟s perspective or a resource dependence theorist‟s perspective to the role of NEDs.

The UK wine market has reached the maturity stage of the business life cycle. Despite this, it continues to experience change as a result of a shift in wine importer patterns and consumer tastes. These factors, exemplified by the effects of reduced barriers to entry, serve to provide a dynamic environment incorporating copious areas ripe for investigation. Producer pricing strategy is at the core of the change in the wine market, consequently it has been selected as the focus of this dissertation. The purpose of this dissertation is to establish and analyse the rationale of small wine producers when determining the price at which to sell their wine to the UK market. Moreover, it aims to discover the degree to which producers from different countries use origin as the primary determinant in devising a pricing strategy. Profit is the direct financial consequence of the pricing decision, either in the long or short term (Cannon and Morgan, 1990). Hence, this project will also determine the potential profitability and longevity of the producers under study.

In today’s era, different facilities have become available for building customized application that uses available maps and its extensive database. In this perspective, it would be very helpful if a commercial application could have been developed using an easy to use Maps API. The customized application can be developed that is easy to use for general public to request their job tasks and field operatives to get and maintain allocated job tasks details easily. A successful creation of application should provide the easy to use interface for public to find the required location on the map and submit job task request specifying its location and few details to city council. It should also facilitate the field operatives to login their own account and allow them to view allocated job tasks and maintain updated details related to allocated job tasks. The application has been developed in such a way that it provides user friendly interface for job task requester and all functionalities which are easy to use and available in worker’s log in for maintaining job task details.

3. Design and Implementation of applicationDesign of the applicationDatabase design of the applicationSubmitting the job task request formAllocating the job tasksViewing the allocated job tasksViewing the completed job tasksUpdating the location and details related to job tasksUpdating the job task statusImplementation of different web pages involved in applicationThe web page to submit job task requestsThe web page for job task allocation to workersThe web page to add different workersThe web page to view different allocated job tasks to different workersThe web page to update the location and details of allocated jobtasksThe web page to update the allocation status of job tasksThe web page to view completed job tasksThe web page to login the application as a userThe web page to view different allocated jobtasks to workerThe web page to update the location and details of allocated jobtasksThe web page to update the status of allocated job taskThe web page to view the completed job tasks

The Indian banking industry is going through turbulent times. With the lowering of entry barriers and blurring product lines of banks and non-banks since the financial sector reforms, banks are functioning increasingly under competitive pressures emanating from within the banking system, from non- banking institutions, and from the domestic and international capital markets. India’s banking sector is growing at a fast pace. India has become one of the most preferred banking destinations in the world. The reasons are numerous: the economy is growing at a rate of 8%, Bank credit is growing at 30% per annum and there is an ever-expanding middle class of between 250 and 300 million people (larger than the population of the US) in need of financial services. All this enables double-digit returns on most asset classes which is not so in a majority of other countries. Foreign banks in India achieving a return on assets (ROA) of 3%, their keen interest in expanding their businesses is understandable. Indian markets provide growth opportunities, which are unlikely to be matched by the mature banking markets around the world.

Currently, India has 88 scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) - 28 public sector banks (that is with the Government of India holding a stake), 29 private banks (these do not have government stake; they may be publicly listed and traded on stock exchanges) and 31 foreign banks. They have a combined network of over 53,000 branches and 17,000 ATMs. According to a report by ICRA Limited, a rating agency, the public sector banks hold over 75 percent of total assets of the banking industry, with the private and foreign banks holding 18.2% and 6.5% respectively. In order to gain further access to the global trade, the government is expanding the Free Trade Agreements (FTA’s) with many countries (like Singapore, Thailand, and other ASEAN members). After the Comprehensive Economic Co-Operation Agreement (CECA) with Singapore, the government is now planning a similar deal with the 25-member European Union. The EU is also likely to ask India to liberalize its financial sector on the lines of the India-Singapore CECA.

This dissertation is concerned with the strategic analysis of UK E-retail industry. It contains information about UK E-retail industry and is very basis of this dissertation. E-retailing occupies an eminent in the economies of all modern societies. The E-retail sector changing at an ever-increasing rate and this is leading to greater competitor activity. Such activity leads to need to improve the way companies approach E-retail marketing.

Chapter 1: IntroductionIntroductionBackgroundOnline Retailing in the UK: An OverviewResearch AreaObjectiveLimitations

The research in this dissertation will highlight and achieve the aims and objectives as set out below. The aim and objectives were achieved through carrying out effective desk and field research. The aim will be achieved by meeting the following objectives;

In order to achieve the above aim and objectives, a specific research methodology was chosen. A broad literature review will be conducted in order to draw out the key issues in “Absence Management” and to meet the objectives through the use of secondary data.

Chapter 1- IntroductionAims and Objectives

Chapter 2 – Review of LiteratureIntroductionManaging AbsenceManagers Role in Absence ManagementReturn to Work InterviewsDifferences between Public and Private SectorsDismissal for Short-term AbsenteeismIssues within Absence ManagementConclusion

Chapter 3 - Methodology of Field ResearchIntroductionInductive and Deductive ReasoningQuantitative and Qualitative MethodsSelection of Field ResearchSamplesAnalysisDifficulties and LimitationsConclusion

Chapter 4 - Field Research AnalysisIntroductionSurveysFindingsFindings from Employee SurveyFindings from Line Managers SurveyFindings from Interviews with Human Resource ManagersConclusion

There have been many studies observing the effects of mergers and acquisitions on the stock price of target and bidding firms. This paper investigates returns to UK and US firms announcing mergers and acquisitions between 2002 and 2004. The returns to both bidder and target firms are examined. Further to this, variables explaining the returns are investigated. The study employs event study methodology, and uses the market model to observe abnormal returns to firms on the announcement day. As anticipated, the findings suggest that target shareholders in both the UK and US earn significant positive returns. However, the returns to bidders in the UK and US vary. UK acquirers earn zero adjusted returns while US acquirers suffer significantly negative returns on announcement. With regard to the method of payment, US targets receiving pure cash offers experienced the highest returns, followed by mixed deals and pure stock deals; this evidence supports the information content hypothesis. Unexpectedly, in the UK, targets receiving bids compromising of cash and stock (mixed) observed the highest returns. A cross section regression analysis was employed to identify the determinants of abnormal returns on announcement. The findings show that UK targets benefit from higher returns when offered larger premiums. Meanwhile, US targets achieved higher returns when involved in pure cash and hostile bids. Furthermore, acquirers in the UK and US both experience positive wealth gains when involved in pure cash bids, the evidence also suggests that related acquisitions are not value creating.

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Literature Review and Hypothesis SettingForms of AcquisitionsClassification of Mergers and AcquisitionsMotives for Mergers & AcquisitionsFailure of M&A’s

Due to the growth in competition in contemporary media environments sports organisations are becoming more and more preoccupied with their image. As a result of the high profile and fame that a sports personality attributes, they are utilised to help brands create a competitive advantage, allowing their advertisements to stand out in today’s cluttered media environment. It is recognised that this integrated communication strategy has the power to influence consumers, leading to the change in perception of a brand’s corporate identity and image by sustaining loyalty through purchase behaviour. The aim of this dissertation is to distinguish transnational purchase intentions as a repercussion of examining consumer perceptions towards celebrity endorsements between Italy and the UK. Secondary research was derived from an amalgamation of Internet sources, online databases, newspaper articles as well as academic journals in which a critical review of the current literature was examined. In order to grasp contemporary consumer behaviour and substantiate secondary sources, primary research was carried out in the form of triangulation using interviews, questionnaires and focus groups.

Chapter 1: IntroductionBackground Research Aims and Objectives Research Questions Rationale for Research TopicDesign of Research Topic

This research paper examines the importance of culture management within the financial services industry. The research uses a case study approach to discover whether culture management is prevalent in the UK banking sector. The comparative analysis focuses on the retail and investment banking sectors in particular. It reviews culture literature to identify key relationships between culture management, emotional intelligence and knowledge management. It examines the extent to which organisational structures and policies impact on the management of organisational culture. The paper analyses the key themes within cultural literature and demonstrates the importance placed by the banks on processes such as recruitment, training and development. The paper finds that managing culture is seen as a source of competitive advantage at investment bank ‘Y’ (IBY) whereas retail bank ‘X’ (RBX) primarily focuses on maximising customer service and meeting sales targets.

Research Objectives:

1. This research will aim to investigate whether culture management is merely a popularised theory that has a limited role within financial institutions or whether it is a concept that has been adopted by senior management within their recruitment, training and retention programmes. 2. The primary research will provide evidence into whether the individuals’ careers and/or social lives are managed by their respective places of work. This will either reinforce or dispute the view that culture management has led to a ‘blurring of boundaries’ whereby employees feel a sense of loyalty and obligation to their employers. The significance of such a feeling is that work ends up consuming almost all of their leisure time. 3. There are also vital links that will be explored between the development of management and the evolving structure of societies and organisations.

2.0 Literature ReviewDefining CultureCultural Change within OrganisationsStrategic Implementation Of The Cultural Change ProcessesCulture and Managerial Control: A Neglected Area Within Cultural Literature?The Importance of Evolving Organisational StructuresThe Blurring Of BoundariesThe Resistance of Cultural ControlsThe Importance of the Consultancy Case StudyThe Typology of Organisational Culture: Knowledge ManagementThe Typology of Organisational Culture: Emotional IntelligenceCulture as A Source Of Competitive AdvantageCulture: Not So Important?

3.0 MethodologyThe Philosophy of Research DesignThe Choice of the Research MethodCritique of InterviewsAlternative MethodsThe Research SampleThe Thematic Construction of the Interview ScheduleThe Case Study Approach to ResearchLimitationsEthical ConsiderationsPilot StudyThe Conducting Of InterviewsProblems with the Implementation of the Research

4.0 Analysis of FindingsHuman Capital Management & TrainingTeamworkThe Importance of the Social NetworkOrganisational EnvironmentRewardsNew Cultural PrinciplesOrganisational StructureThe Recruitment and Induction ProcessesSummation of the Research Findings

The study assesses employees’ perceptions on factors influencing organisational changes and the internal and external factors causing these changes. A study conducted on the retail store River Island, located in a major UK city was undertaken to gain a more in-depth study on organisational changes within a specific retail store, where the literature to date serves to fail. The study researches literature on key internal and external factors influencing organisational changes, giving the reader a better understanding on the reasons for organisational changes and its effects upon organisational structures. Literature examined consists of various studies on organisational changes in a range of industries. An investigation was carried out at the River Island store to establish employee perceptions on organisational changes within their working environment and the effects it has had on them. This investigation is undertaken via interviews of managers and frontline employees to give a variety of views and opinions. Findings of the study are discussed and comparisons made. Limitations and further recommendations for research are also examined.

Chapter 5: Conclusion Introduction Key Findings from the research Employees perception on the influences of organisational changesInternal Factors influencing organisational changeExternal Factors influencing organisational changeSummary Limitations and Recommendations Limitations of study and recommendations for practitioners and researchersRecommendations for River Island

The primary focus of this research study is to investigate the impact of M&A activities on the shareholders of acquiring companies, by examining M&A that occurred in the UK Pharmaceutical sector in the period 2002-2006. To date most of the available knowledge on M&A comes from researches on US markets, with little research on UK markets. With references to M&A activities in the pharmaceutical sector, existing empirical literature tend to cluster exclusively on the US market or European market. This research attempts to broaden the scope of existing literature by going beyond the US and focusing on the UK.

This research aims to:

1. Critically evaluating if the shareholders of acquiring companies experience wealth effects as a result of M&A. 2. Replicate test that have been done on US data, to see whether similar result emerge for the UK. Each countries result may be unique because of different organizational and regulatory conditions. On the other hand similar results may occur if the market for corporate control is reasonable competitive in both countries and robust to definite institutional distinction. 3. Evaluating the impact of merger announcements on acquiring firm’s stock price using the UK Pharmaceutical sector.

Chapter OneIntroductionAims Of The ResearchScope And Limitation Of The DissertationPharmaceutical IndustryStructure Of The DissertationOverviewDefinition Of Key TermsTypes Of Mergers And AcquisitionRegulatory Bodies Involved In Takeovers And Mergers In The UK

Chapter TwoLiterature ReviewDistinction Between Mergers And AcquisitionMotives behind mergers and AcquisitionGrowthSynergy MotiveTaxes MotiveManagerial MotiveDiversification MotiveEfficiencyDriver Of Mergers And AcquisitionGlobalizationDeregulationCost of finance and stock marketTechnological AdvancementDrivers of M& A in Pharmaceutical SectorMergers and Acquisition TrendsEffect of Mergers and Acquisition on Shareholder’s ValueEffect of Mergers and Acquisition in The Pharmaceutical SectorReason For Positive or Negative Merger and Acquisition Effect on Shareholders ValueSummary

Chapter ThreeMethodologyResearch MethodResearch Philosophy And ApproachThe Even Study ApproachAssumptions Of The Event Study MethodProcedure When Using The Even Study ApproachLimitation of the Event Study ApproachMarket Model MethodologySample Selection/Design

Chapter FiveConclusionComparing Research Findings And Earlier LiteratureSummaryReliability and Validity of research workLimitation And Suggestions For Further ResearchReflective Writing

References

Appendix SectionAppendix 1: Abnormal return for the Acquiring firm and the Average abnormal return for each day in the event windowAppendix 2: Estimation Of α And β For Cambridge Antibody Tech GroupAppendix 3: Abnormal Return Calculation For Cambridge AntibodyAppendix 4: Estimation Of α and β For VernalisAppendix 5: Calcualtion Of Abnormal Return For VernalisAppendix 6: Estimation Of α and β For BootsAppendix 7: Calculation Of Abnormal Returns For BootsAppendix 8: Estimation Of α and β For VenturaAppendix 9: Calculation Of Abnormal Returns For VecturaAppendix 10: Estimation of α and β For CelltechAppendix 11: Calculation of Abnormal Returns for CelltechAppendix 12: T- Stat Calculations

Total Quality Management generally provides the fundamental core of the leadership and management process within an organisation so as to face the challenges posed by the new age environment. In recent years, many organisations in an attempt to survive and regain competitive advantage have embarked within the long journey of quality. As the needs and expectations of the customers in the tourism industry become more challenging, the Cyprus Tourism Industry in order to cope with these expectations have in the last few years focused on the quality. Methodologies like Total Quality Management systems and ISO 9000 quality systems standards can assure quality within the several sectors of the Cyprus Tourism Industry and help it in general to regain competitive advantage.This dissertation examines the concepts of Quality and Total Quality Management and its impact on the four different sectors of the Cyprus Tourism Industry. The examination and analysis of the quality concept and total quality management framework in relation with the four sectors, provides the reader with an overview of how the Cyprus Tourism Industry copes with this field. During the conduct of the project it became apparent that the four sectors encapsulate the TQM framework in a most effective way bringing the Cyprus Tourism Industry to a new era of competitive improvement.

CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGYIntroductionPrimary Data CollectionSecondary Data CollectionSample SelectionQuestionnaire DesignThe Structure of the QuestionnaireLimitations of the SurveySummary of the Chapter

CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONIntroductionCompanies’ DetailsCustomers and Quality DetailsGaps in Service QualityTotal Quality Management DetailsTraining and EducationRecognition and RewardsOwnershipBenefits from the Adoption of TQM FrameworkSummary of the Chapter

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION

References

Bibliography

AppendicesStatement of What Has Been LearnedThe Cyprus Tourism Industry in the 21st CenturyThe Quality GurusDeming’s 14 PointsInvolvement of Everyone and EverythingContinuous ImprovementRewards and RecognitionsStandards make up the ISO 9000 FamilyQuestionnaireCompanies’ ProfilesGaps in Service QualityPricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC)